Opinion

Isn’t it funny how when the wind turbines are going to go by my house where I’ll have to look at them each day, put up with them, and see them constantly out my front room window, many don’t have the gumption to sign a petition. It might offend their neighbor or friend.
Had a phone call from a man from Houston, Minn., who said all the turbines in Minnesota are sickening to look at. You can hardly see the stars anymore. Your neighborhood doesn’t realize what they’re getting into.
I bet if the turbines were across from their house, making that constant “whoosh” noise, turning almost constantly, it would be an entirely different story.
Once the turbines are installed, they will be up all over the county. Maybe you will have to look at them across from you next and see the constant blinking lights.
Do your due diligence and go to Toronto, Canada, wind turbine site on the Internet. Read what the public has to say about them and the affect on people’s health living near them.
Remember, these are 500’ high versus 380’ like the White Lake area.
Mary Ann Blindauer
Letcher

Cobwebs & Dust Bunnies

“God’s Not Dead 2”

A review by Parker Senska
Last week, I accompanied my mom to see the movie “God’s Not Dead 2.” Though I didn’t see the first movie, I was more inclined to see this one due to Melissa Hart’s starring role. (I loved her in Sabrina the Teenage Witch.) After seeing this movie, I have positive and negative feelings about it.
“God’s Not Dead 2” is about teacher Grace Wesley, who is tried for answering a question about Jesus in class. The movie also provides a few side plots of characters that are tangently involved. One sub plot that caught my interest in particular was Amy’s internal conflict of questioning her faith, because that’s an issue I feel quite a few Christians struggle with, myself included.
However, my fear is that Christians who watch this movie will become paranoid that that their religion is being persecuted, which is the furthest thing from the truth.
Yes, in “God’s Not Dead 2,” Grace Wesley is clearly in the right, because while answering the question, she refers to Jesus in his life as a historical figure, not the savior of humankind. However, I’ve too often seen in the news of Christians trying to use their religion as an excuse to discriminate against others, and then turn around and claim they’re the ones being persecuted when the federal government steps in to try and rectify this. My point is proven by bills in half the states across the U.S., including the one that nearly passed in South Dakota’s Congress, that allow people to discriminate against others on the grounds of religion. It’s sickening to think that someone would actually use their religion, especially a religion that centers around forgiveness, love and kindness, to spread their hatred.
Moving back to the movie, “God’s Not Dead 2” portrays the atheistic antagonists as flat characters with no motivation for what they’re doing other than the fact that they appear to be heartless or pure evil. If the movie explored their motivations and thinking processes, not only would it provide a whole new layer to the movie, it would provide insight to the viewers about why some people seem to be against Christianity.
All-in-all, the movie is obviously intended for Christians, so I can’t say you would like it if you aren’t. If you are Christian, the movie’s heartfelt moments and good points for Christians who are struggling with their faith may provide you with an enjoyable experience.

Many people think the wind turbines will bring in a lot of money for the schools. It’ll only pay a percentage for five years. The school will be paid so much for each child’s tuition so the smaller schools in the county won’t get much money. It’ll go to the more populated schools distributed by the state.
Heavy equipment and trucks will destroy the roads and will cost a great deal of money to repair. There will be 27 large trucks with a blade on each, causing road damage. The hub is 36 tons in weight without blades, the generator weighs 61 tons and the blades are over seven tons on smaller turbines in White Lake area, and the ones projected for Sanborn County are a third larger and will weigh more accordingly.
My suggestion is to put them in a less populated area instead of close to my home. Would you want the noise, shadows and landscape of a wind turbine within 1,500 feet of your house so that you can see it while you are looking out your front window or see and hear it while you are mowing your lawn? What would it do to the resale value of your house or farm? If it does lower the value, then the tax valuation should be lowered.
How close to your house would you want one? What’s to stop a neighbor or an out-of-the-area landlord from putting one in front of your house?
Talking to the state legislator’s, the money provided to the schools on taxes for the turbines will disappear in five years; so this tax increment will be depleted, and the school tax will go back to the old system and therefore reducing the benefits to the school and our future leaders. The new taxes for teachers implemented this 2016 legislative year does not take into consideration the wind energy factors, which will be disappear in five years. The Congressman said that there has been no discussion so far, but there is possibility the wind turbine income may be paid to the state and taken away from the county and the
townships.
I am not against energy but put them in a less populated area. Every time you step outside your front or back door, would you like to stare at a wind turbine 500 feet tall? Would you like them by your house? How close would you want a tower to your house?
There is a lot of information on a web site, www.we-caresd.org.
Mary Ann Blindauer
Letcher, SD

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